Shepherding Ideas Into Action

Welcome to The Dean’s List! The Dean’s List will profile up-and-comers in Memphis who are certain to be the next group of leaders in the nonprofit, corporate, government, and faith communities. The Dean’s List is curated by Kevin Dean.

Daniel Masters describes his childhood as “the quintessential feral childhood of the 80’s.” Growing up in the Whitehaven neighborhood followed by Horn Lake, MS, Masters recalls being a wild child, and by his teenage years, he was skipping school and having frequent run-ins with the law. Fortunately, he credits the tough love from his mother and the hard work and mentorship of his grandfather for making him the man he is today.

Daniel spent summers with his grandfather, who he referred to affectionately as Poppie. Daniel’s grandfather owned and serviced carwashes all over the Mid-South, and he would let his grandchild work alongside him, cleaning out vacuum tanks and sweeping asphalt for pocket change.

Daniel, now 35, took lessons from his grandfather’s hard work and began a career in the restaurant industry, working his way up from a waiter to a business owner. Daniel is now the owner of The Silly Goose Lounge, known for its elegant, urban decor and its tasty drink menu. Located at the prime corner of Main Street and Peabody Place, the Silly Goose Lounge is the perfect downtown hotspot. Though he is now a father of three and a “responsible adult,” Daniel hasn’t lost his sense of adventure. You may even see Daniel skateboarding through the bar or wearing a ridiculous outfit.

The secret fact about the Silly Goose is that its name is in honor of Daniel’s grandfather, who has been his hero and role model throughout his life. Poppie was known for creating bedtime stories for Daniel and his brother, and Daniel’s favorite involved a “silly goose.” His grandfather’s memory lives on at the corner bar in downtown Memphis.

We chose Daniel for his energy, spirit, and his commitment to Downtown Memphis, where the Silly Goose serves as a focal point for tourists and downtowners looking to lounge, drink, and enjoy the city.

Tell me about how Silly Goose came to be.

It came to be from a trip that I took to New York for the first time. A friend knew that I wanted to open a bar, and he told me that if I wanted to explore concepts and ideas, then New York was the place. At that point I was a broke dad/bar manager, so he bought me a ticket and showed me around. I was in instant awe of the energy and ideas that flowed through the nightlife. At least that’s where the ideas came from, the rest is boring.

Tell me three things about yourself that would be interesting for the readers.

I am ranked 320 in the world in Call of Duty Ghost

If you order a vodka and soda, I am secretly judging you

I have never been to Graceland

If you could describe your feelings about Memphis in three words, what would they be?Continue Reading …

Welcome to The Dean’s List! The Dean’s List will profile up-and-comers in Memphis who are certain to be the next group of leaders in the nonprofit, corporate, government, and faith communities. The Dean’s List is curated by Kevin Dean.

Ashley Roach-Frieman, 33, discovers her best lines of poetry while walking around Memphis. “My poems are very much in the Memphis landscape,” she says. Her work has appeared in Bone Bouquet, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, THRUSH Poetry Journal, Smartish Pace, The Literary Review, and Superstition Review, but she is also known for being the founder of Impossible Language, a reading and art series that features poets from around the country. Impossible Language is an important part of the literary culture in Memphis, allowing up-and-coming Mid-South poets to read to audiences alongside the established literary elite, promoting a culture that embraces the written word.

She moved to Memphis eight years ago after receiving her first master’s degree at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg and building a career working in coffee shops. “The small town taught me how to dance and drink,” she says, but “Memphis is where I learned to drink more responsibly.” Ashley is almost done with a second master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Memphis.

When she’s not writing poetry and coordinating the Impossible Language series, Ashley is a librarian at the University of Memphis. We chose Ashley because of her important role as an ambassador for the literary arts in Memphis. You can find out more about Ashley Roach-Frieman at her website.

If you could describe your feelings about Memphis in three words, what would they be?

verdant / bricolage / (of my) heart

As the founder of Impossible Language, why do you feel that poetry is important for the Memphis community?

As might be inferred by the series title, it’s hard for me to put into words. Which is perhaps why I’m a decent poet and not a good talker. But there is a stigma that poetry is boring, and I know that it is not, and I want to bring this very real truth to Memphis…poetry is musical, rich with emotion and revelation and humor and sometimes necessary oddity. When the audience connects with a poet, there is a tangible energy that is deeply moving. I’ve seen people cry at readings, but my friend and co-director Aaron Brame says there is always laughter at the readings as well. Poetry allows for catharsis and comedy, those ancient Greek traditions that we achieve through performance, but often the performance is very very personal in poems. I think our brains are wired to be turned on by branding, by talk, by news, by anxiety…we are a very anxious people. Poets have the tools to cut through this and reach for the complicated humanity under it, or to use the language of it and be critical, aware. The variety of poems I have heard through Impossible Language has been fundamental to my own growth, and perhaps survival, as a writer. There is a thriving, wonderful visual arts scene in Memphis. It only makes sense that a growing literary scene accompany and complement it. I also love that it gets more people in and around and aware of Story Booth, which I think is a fundamental part of that literary scene, not just as a great space for readings and literary events, but as a place where kids are actively involved in reading, writing, creating in this rich, interdisciplinary way….making movies, plays, songs, and books, from concept to completed project. It’s an amazing space.

Who are three local poets who you think have the most potential to become poet laureate one day?

Of course it is impossible for me to answer this. There are still poets I haven’t met yet, and poets who are developing into the writers they are going to be. And there’s me, still green and excited to meet and know more writers, but learning what good poetry is, biased as all hell. The best way to get to know the writers in Memphis is to go to the readings. Impossible Language of course is just one outlet for writing in the city.

If you could have dinner with three poets, living or dead, who would you choose?

CD Wright (the recent loss of her still stuns), Elizabeth Bishop, Aziza Barnes

Welcome to The Dean’s List! The Dean’s List will profile up-and-comers in Memphis who are certain to be the next group of leaders in the nonprofit, corporate, government, and faith communities. The Dean’s List is curated by Kevin Dean.

When speaking at events on behalf of Refugee Empowerment Program, Executive Director Cam Echols is often asked, “What country are you from?”

Her response–“right here”–always leads to laughter. Cam has been working with refugees for the last fourteen years after varied career in the nonprofit sector. While working as a social services director for a local ministry in Binghampton, she was approached by a group needing space for a small after school program to help about a dozen refugee children.

“The children in particular seemed thirsty for knowledge,” Cam says. “I was immediately drawn to this diverse community of newcomers so eager to learn and so committed to the idea of education as empowerment.”

Cam began volunteering time with the small program, quickly becoming invested in the children and the mission. Cam advocated for school supplies and tutors, helping to raise money and awareness of the program. A few months later, Cam transitioned to a full-time staff member.

We chose Cam for The Dean’s List because of her unwavering support of refugee children in Mid-South, an often under-served and politicized group that has become an important part of Memphis’ changing landscape.

If you could describe your feelings about Memphis in three words, what would they be?

Love; Inspiration; and Welcome

Tell us why your job is important for Memphis.

Each year, our city resettles dozens of refugee families. Unfortunately, far too few Memphians know of this special population. So many of us tend to see the social, political, and economic issues of our city as black and white, but Memphis is rich with diversity. Over 20 different nationalities are represented in Binghampton alone. My work is important because it helps give voice to the strangers in our city, eager to be friendly neighbors and productive citizens. We work to build a welcoming community that finds strength in diversity and views education as the key to individual empowerment and community betterment.

Another reason my job is important to Memphis is that so many people in our city are unaware of the daily realities of poverty and the many obstacles their fellow citizens face. This is not because they do not care, but because they have been so disconnected from its impact, particularly in regards to children. Volunteering with REP exposes people to the myriad of ways in which poverty shapes the lives and development of young people. This exposure is unintentional yet unavoidable. Refugees arrive in this country destitute, and as a result, they face many of the same social, political, economic, and structural challenges faced by the city’s native poor. Refugees cannot be empowered in a vacuum. Alleviating their plight means addressing the structural inequalities that have plagued the city for generations. We help to open hearts and minds to the broader struggle for justice and equality by providing opportunities for Memphians to be involved with our work.

Donald Trump hasn’t been a friend to immigrants and refugees. What concerns do the people you serve have about the upcoming election?Continue Reading …

Welcome to The Dean’s List! The Dean’s List will profile up-and-comers in Memphis who are certain to be the next group of leaders in the nonprofit, corporate, government, and faith communities. The Dean’s List is curated by Kevin Dean.

When Brad Birkedahl was a child growing up in Tacoma, WA, he was raised on a mix of music that would eventually shape the course of his life. While his parents weren’t musicians, they were great lovers of music, playing legends like Boxcar Willie, Bobby Darren, Dean Martin, Johnny Cash, and Merle Haggard. One musician, Elvis Presley, (maybe you’ve heard of him) served as the ultimate role model to Brad as he joined various bands as a teenager.

In 1996, Brad and his rockabilly band, The Dempseys, were invited to Memphis to perform at an Elvis tribute show starring Carl Perkins. Because of the trip to Memphis, the band was invited to serve as the house band at the Beale Street club Elvis Presley’s Memphis (now Hard Rock Cafe). He happily relocated to the city of his musical idol and has been rocking venues throughout the Mid-South ever since.

Memphis has been good to Brad, now 39. He had a part in the movie Walk The Line, married former WMC-TV news anchor Anna Marie Hartman, and is a mainstay on Beale Street. In addition to being a full-time musician, Brad owns his own tour company called Rockabilly Rides. He and his business partner give private tours of Memphis in a 1959 Ford Skyliner and 1955 Chevy Bel Air.

We chose Brad for The Dean’s List because of his passion for Memphis music and his status as an ambassador of Memphis to tourists as a performer and tour guide.

If you could describe your feelings about Memphis in three words, what would they be?

Musically eclectic and inspirational.

As a musician, why do you choose Memphis over a place like Los Angeles or Nashville?

The music I play is appreciated here more than any in other city. Much of it was written and recorded here or was inspired by musicians who got there start right here in Memphis.

What’s the strangest thing that has ever happened at one of your shows?

I’m Norwegian and a couple of months ago I got to my gig on Beale and a group my of relatives I never even knew existed traveled all the way from Norway to surprise me. They had been following me on Facebook and I never knew it. They brought pictures of my dad as a young boy. It was weird and wonderful.

Name three people you view as the most talented performers in Memphis.

That’s a tough one, there are so many!! I am so proud of all the members of my own band. I think they are some of the best musicians Memphis has to offer. If I must pick three let’s just say when I’m off and want to go hear music I like to check out Zack Mack, Joe Restivo, Brennan Villines.

What’s the one Memphis restaurant you couldn’t live without?

I think you know the answer to this one: Cafe Eclectic. (Editor’s Note: We see one another every week at Cafe Eclectic, as we are both addicted to their coffee and relaxed vibe.)

What makes Memphis different from other cities?

To borrow a phrase, the grit and grind. It’s a huge city with a small town feel. We have our problems, sure. But we have such a great history, and I’ve been able to build both my businesses, my music, and my tour company around the Memphis history that makes it so great.

What’s the one misconception people have about Memphis that is simply untrue?

I think a lot of people believe there’s nothing to do here. Wow, really?

What area of town is your favorite and why?

I love Midtown. No matter where I go, I see someone I know. During a typical night out, dinner for two can easily turn into dinner for ten as you run into people along the way. I’m so excited about the revitalization of Overton Square. It’s our home away from home these days.

What can Memphians do to make a difference in our community?

Get involved! Volunteer. Appreciate Memphis history. Support local music and business and get to know your neighbors.

Welcome to The Dean’s List! The Dean’s List will profile up-and-comers in Memphis who are certain to be the next group of leaders in the nonprofit, corporate, government, and faith communities. The Dean’s List is curated by Kevin Dean, the Executive Director of Literacy Mid-South.

Imagine being able to parlay a hobby as a blogger into a full-time position as a communications specialist for one of the most well-known nonprofits in the Mid-South. Germantown native Emily Pate Austin, 34, did just that. A graduate of Christian Brothers University with a BA in English, followed by a Masters in English from Loyola University, Emily knew that writing was in her future. After a stint teaching English at a private academy outside of Seoul, South Korea with her husband, Ben, Emily moved back to the United States and promptly found out that she was having a baby.

“I promptly started blogging about my pregnancy because no one’s ever done that before,” Emily jokes. Emily launched her blog, notthehardestpart.com, which quickly caught on with readers. Her honest portrayal of life as a new mother coupled with her acerbic wit was a crowd pleaser, and she soon found herself with almost 18,000 online followers. Emily’s blunt candor about the struggles and reality of parenting made her especially popular, even if her comments section was occasionally hit by a naysayer. “I wrote a blog post late in my pregnancy about how much I love glasses. It went viral four days after Cece was born, and someone left a comment on the post saying that I was an awful human/ parent because I think babies who wear glasses are adorable. The Internet is really a heartwarming, fun place sometimes.”

Because of her success as a blogger, Emily made her way to the Church Health Center, where she is now a Communications Specialist. She gets paid to tweet, Facebook, blog, and more for a very worthy cause. We chose Emily because of her big future as a social media queen in Memphis!

If you could describe your feelings about Memphis in three words, what would they be? First, informed. When I left Memphis in 2004, I swore I’d never return. I think that’s a sentiment that a lot of people feel after they’ve spent the better part of their lives in one place and they want to get out and see the world. Well, I saw the world, and for the most part, I enjoyed every place I experienced. But now, even with all those experiences under my belt, I’m so glad to be back in Memphis with my family. This is a world-class place. Sure, we have world-class problems, but we are poised to solve them in a way that perhaps we weren’t 10 or 20 years ago.

Second, sentimental. When I drive down Peabody to get to work every day, I pass a house with a rusty two-story transmitter tower in its front yard. When I was a little girl, my dad drove me to that same house and told me about how his father helped build that tower back in the 60’s. I never met my grandfather – he died way before I was born – and my own dad died back in 2001, but Memphis is riddled with traces of the people who built my history and who gave me a sense of home before I even realized how special that feeling was. I get nostalgic even listening to Prairie Home Companion on WKNO on Saturday afternoons. It has run in the same time slot since I was a kid, and hearing that show always reminds me of the pressure cooker that Memphis can be in the summer and the joy of eating BBQ on Saturday afternoon.

Finally, optimistic. It’s hard not to be optimistic about Memphis these days. We’re choosing 901 and we’re loving Memphis because we know we’re still writing its history. I always tell my friends who have never been to Memphis that it’s more than Elvis, BBQ, and FedEx, and usually by the end of my spiel I’ve got them on Priceline booking their trip.

What led you to the Church Health Center? After living in Fayetteville, North Carolina for three years, it was clear to Ben and me that the town wasn’t home and that we didn’t really have a future there. We craved the familiarity of Memphis and the network of support that we had here. My mother-in-law was very active at The Way, a service of recovery sponsored by St. John’s Methodist and the Church Health Center. She told me about an opening in communications that included managing social media and blogs. I Skyped with Jeff Hulett and Marvin Stockwell, felt an instant rapport with them, and the rest is history. I’ve been helping to tell the story of the Center ever since. I’m tremendously privileged to support our mission of providing affordable healthcare to the working uninsured in my role as a communications specialist.

Why do you think social media is an important part of Church Health Center? When I googled how much time people spend online each day, I learned that it’s about 4.5 hours, and honestly that seems a little conservative to me! We’ve gotten to a place where social media is no longer simply a wishlist item for any business, but especially for a nonprofit. If we’re really committed to serving people exactly where they are, we have to be in the digital space because that’s where people are. We have to answer Facebook messages and tweets as quickly as we would answer the phone, and we have to connect the people we serve with the services that they could benefit from. Twitter is basically the virtual equivalent of the coffeehouse cork board, and if we don’t utilize it to get the word out about all the things we have going on, we’re not doing our due diligence to the people we claim to serve. If you see a flyer for our upcoming Mental Health First Aid training, you’re also going to hear about it on social media.Continue Reading …